The present invention relates to an occlusion ring and the method and device for applying said ring to an anatomical tubular structure. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a ring applicator device, combinations of said device with other instruments and a technique and method for carrying out tubal ligation of the human female in order to effect permanent or temporary sterilization. The device of the present invention can also be effectively used to sterilize the human male.
In many areas of the world, the question of population control has become a central issue. Since birth control devices are not always used faithfully or fail to work in some instances, various procedures have been proposed for effecting the sterilization of women as well as men. However, many of these techniques are unpopular because of the resulting complications, the high expense and because of the general unacceptability among the populace of effecting a sterilization which is permanent and cannot be reversed. Nevertheless, sterilization is obviously an effective means for solving various problems of population explosion and of voluntarily limiting the size of the family where desired on the part of the parent. Accordingly, research into finding various techniques and instruments has continued both under private and government support.
Tubal ligation has commonly been used to effect sterilization in women. The common practice is to cut and tie the Fallopian tubes in order to prevent fertilization of the egg. More recently the use of clips for closing the tubes has been suggested. Another recent procedure involves cauterization of the tubes by electrical means. However, each of these procedures involves much discomfort to the patient and highly skilled personnel to successfully complete the operation. Also, in the procedure requiring the use of clips, in some instances the clips have fallen off thereby rendering the sterilization ineffective. With respect to cauterization by means of electricity, there remains the ever present dangers of inadvertently burning certain organs of the body and, for example, accidentally rupturing the bowel.